Wheater and Boyd both missing for Middlesbrough

DAVID Wheater and Kris Boyd are notable absentees from the Middlesbrough line up for tonight's Championship home game with Burnley. Wheater sustained a shoulder injury in last weekend's 3-0 defeat at QPR, while Boyd has been dropped to the bench after failing to impress at Loftus Road. In Wheater's absence, Matthew Bates is expected to start at centre-half, with Justin Hoyte returning at right-back and Julio Arca slotting in on the other flank. Mickael Tavares continues in midfield after making his Boro debut on Saturday, while Leroy Lita partners Scott McDonald in attack. Tonight's game is a crucial encounter for under-fire Boro boss Gordon Strachan, and is likely to occur in front of the lowest crowd ever to watch a league game at the Riverside. MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Steele; Hoyte, Bates, McManus, Arca; Halliday, Tavares, O'Neil, Robson; Lita, McDonald. Subs: Coyne (gk), Hines, McMahon, Smallwood, Kink, Bailey, Boyd. BURNLEY (4-3-3): Jensen; Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Fox; Elliott, Alexander, Cork; Eagles, Iwelumo, Wallace. Subs: Grant (gk), Marney, Edgar, Cort, Rodriguez, Thompson, Paterson.

Source: Northern_Echo